Key points
- Bluesky is expanding age verification to South Dakota and Wyoming to comply with new state laws.
- Users in these states must verify their age to access direct messaging and adult content.
- The verification process utilizes Epic Games’ Kids Web Services, offering multiple verification methods.
- Access to the platform remains unrestricted for those who don’t verify age, but with feature limitations.
Bluesky Social, the decentralized social media platform, has announced the expansion of its age verification measures to South Dakota and Wyoming. This move is a direct response to recently enacted state laws mandating age verification for online platforms hosting potentially “harmful” content.
The implementation mirrors Bluesky’s existing age verification procedures in the United Kingdom, implemented in response to the UK’s Online Safety Act. The company has partnered with Epic Games’ Kids Web Services to facilitate the verification process, offering users a choice of methods, including ID scans and credit card verification.
While users in South Dakota and Wyoming will be required to verify their age to access direct messaging and adult content, the platform will remain accessible to those who choose not to undergo the process. However, access to these specific features will be restricted.
Bluesky maintains that this approach balances user access with compliance, stating in a recent update that they believe it “strikes the right balance.” This decision contrasts sharply with the company’s actions in Mississippi, where Bluesky chose to withdraw its services completely rather than comply with a more demanding age verification law.
Bluesky justified its decision to leave Mississippi by citing the significant resource investment required and expressing concerns that the law unduly limited free speech and disproportionately impacted smaller platforms.
The company explicitly stated its intention to reconsider its presence in the state should legal challenges to the law prove successful. The situation highlights the challenges faced by social media companies as they navigate a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape concerning online safety and age verification.
The ongoing expansion of age verification requirements in the US is likely to impact other social media platforms. Currently, twenty-five states have enacted similar legislation, with numerous others actively considering comparable laws.
Bluesky acknowledges this trend, anticipating further regulations both domestically and internationally in the near future. This ongoing legal and regulatory evolution presents significant hurdles for social media companies striving to balance user experience and compliance with increasingly stringent requirements.
